Broken
by Serenity-Hermione Angel
Summary: Serenity was banished from her village and is found by the Prince of Earth. At first, he treats her like he would a younger sister. As they both age, he finds that his feelings for her are more then he thought. Is he willing to ever let her go?
1. Default Chapter

Broken   
  
Serenity was banished from her village and is found by the Prince of Earth. At first, he treats her like he would a younger sister. As they both age, he finds that his feelings for her are more then he thought. Is he willing to let her go when the time comes?  
  
Chapter 1: Banished  
  
Serenity sat there on a stump, her knees under her, her head bowed. Tears streamed down her dirty face as she sat there, looking at her hands. She was dressed in a gray dress that was covered in earth and ripped in several places. But she didn't care about her looks, at least anymore.  
  
"Are you ready for your trial?" Asked a brown haired woman with emerald green eyes wearing a beautiful dark green dress that flowed to her knees, on her feet just a sole and vines up to her knees.   
  
"Yes." Serenity replied meekly, sliding off the stump and following the tall girl through the trees. When she got to another clearing, there were many more girls watching her as she entered, a very men here and there. Serenity just looked at her dirty bare feet as they made tracks in the dirt, her tears marking themselves in it once in a while. The tall girl lead her to a woman sitting in a stone throne decorated with beautiful flowers, taking her place on the right side of the beautiful woman occupying the seat.  
  
"Serenity, you know why you are here, correct?" The woman's sweet voice asked. Serenity just nodded, unable to look upon her queen in her time of her greatest shame. "Oh, you do?" The Queen replied.   
  
"Yes. I broke a law." Serenity said, her voice small.   
  
"You did more then break a law, Serenity. You practically helped kill half of our people!" The Queen said. Tears began to fall faster from Serenity's once beautiful cerulean blue eyes that were now gray.   
  
"I didn't know! You must believe that I was tricked! She said she was going to help us! How was I to know she was going to betray my trust?" Serenity asked, looking up.   
  
"You're supposed to be my daughter! You're supposed to sense these things! How could you not see the evil in her? I could feel it the moment she walked into here while you didn't know until it was too late! How dare you the right to bare my name!" Queen Serenity said.   
  
"But mother, she understood me! She welcomed me without suspecting anything because I was the Princess. No one is my friend, mother! I fell so easily to being her victim because I didn't know any better! You never cared enough about me to teach me things! All you've ever done was bare me and give me a name. I developed on my own! I was blind to not see through her tricks!"   
  
"Don't you dare talk to me like that! You're still one of my subjects, daughter or not, and will respect me. Now we'll just get this over with." She looked over at a very beautiful girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes who was wearing an orange dress. "Minako." She said. Minako looked at Serenity with tears forming in her eyes and handed over a staff. The whole court gasped.   
  
"Mother, please! I beg you to reconsider!" Serenity cried out. Queen Serenity looked at her daughter and rose the staff. "Mother!" Serenity dropped to her knees, her tears falling faster.   
  
"I banish you Serenity! You are no longer allowed to ever step foot in these sacred parts again!" Queen Serenity called out, her voice booming. She stood up and raised her staff above her head.  
  
"Mother, please don't go through with this! She's just a child, your child! My sister! Please don't do this to her! I'll take her punishment for her! Just please don't!" Minako yelled, rushing forward and taking her crying sister in her arms, her own eyes filled with tears.   
  
"Move out of the way, Minako." Queen Serenity said, looking down at her two blonde haired daughters. It pained her very much to be banishing her own child, her baby, but it had to be done. She had just lost half of her subjects, three of her daughters, and even her husband. It was be unjust if she let her child be forgiven while people were mourning, even though the royal family was doing the same.   
  
"Mother! You can't do this!" Minako yelled. "Please! Don't! Forgive her!" Minako began crying harder. "Please mother. Don't do this." Minako spoke in a quieter voice.  
  
"Rei, pull her off!" Queen Serenity ordered a girl with long dark hair and violet eyes wearing a short ruby red dress. Rei walked over to her two sisters, fighting her own tears as she tried to pry Minako from Serenity. Finally, the two blondes were in too many tears to hold on longer. Minako went to run back but Rei restrained her, letting a tear fall. Minako gave up and just sobbed, Rei embracing her.   
  
"Mother." Serenity whispered, looking up at her mother. But Queen Serenity couldn't handle anymore pleas so she slammed her staff down, light coming from the gem atop it and hitting Serenity, who screamed. It lasted not even a minute, but it seemed like forever to everyone watching this sad incident. Those who were to witness couldn't even bare to do so.   
  
"Serenity!" Ami, Makoto, Rei, Minako, Haruka, and Hotaru all cried out as they watched the once beautiful silver wings of their sister dissolve, her body itself disappearing. Suddenly, there was no more of the once beautiful young fairy princess named Serenity.   
  
"Mother, bring her back!" Makoto cried out, her emerald green eyes shimmering with tears.  
  
"Makoto, what is done is done. I will have no more talk of what just happened." Queen Serenity said as calmly as she could. She felt a complete emptiness in her, as she knew her daughters were feeling. She was sure that her people felt it was well, but they couldn't be feeling it as the Royal family were.   
  
"Mother, please!" Minako cried.   
  
"Minako, no! Now returned to your daily lives, or I'll be forced to eraser your memories of her so that you will work better." Queen Serenity threatened. When she saw no one was going to answer her, she turned to walk away.  
  
"Then take away my emptiness and let me forget her!" Minako cried out boldly as her mother approached the steps of their palace. Queen Serenity turned around and looked at her.   
  
"Is that how you all feel? Do you all wish to forget her like Princess Minako?" Queen Serenity asked everyone witnessing.   
  
"Yes!" Ami shouted loudly. Everyone looked at the normally shy blue haired princess but soon enough, shouts of agreement came from the crowd.   
  
"Mother, it is only fair that you wipe our memories so that we will not mourn after her. She would not have wanted us to mourn." Haruka told her mother, standing before her sisters. The Queen let out a sad sigh and with one quick move of her staff, the whole kingdom, including herself, forgot about their banished princess. Like nothing at all happened, every person in the crowd went to their jobs and homes. The princesses all walked into the palace together, talking happily. The Queen followed her daughters, giving each a smile, and began her daily business.   
  
"Endymion, where have you run off too?" Kunzite called out to his prince as they traveled through the woods. Endymion was a very adventurous prince of 19 and often wandered away from his four generals to look around for any danger he could get himself into. He was very strong and loved to challenge himself, although Kunzite often got annoyed by it because if the prince were to ever get hurt (which never happened), it would be mainly his neck.   
  
"Give it up, Kunzite. He'll return to us when he's found something dangerous to do and has done it." Zoicite told the lead general.   
  
In order, it went Kunzite, Nephrite, Jaedite, then Zoicite. Kunzite was the oldest with white colored hair to his shoulders and steely gray eyes. Nephrite was just a few months younger with wavy auburn hair to his shoulder and brown eyes. Then Jaedite, with his short blonde hair and blue colored eyes. Finally, Zoicite with his long blonde hair that was kept in a ponytail and green eyes. (A/N: At least, I think that's their order! I just set them up by the senshi they're paired with. If I got it wrong, tell me!)   
  
"Really Kunzite. It's very unlikely that he'll get hurt. I can't ever remember a time in my life since we started protecting him at birth when he has gotten hurt. He's strong against everything." Nephrite commented. Kunzite merely sighed.   
  
"He's still the Crown Prince of Earth." Kunzite muttered. "If he so much as spills one drop of blood, the King will have each of our heads, mine first."   
  
"You worry too much." Jaedite laughed.   
  
Meanwhile, the prince was busy riding about with his black stallion, testing the horses skills by jumping over large fallen trees and wide and deep ditches. He sensed that his horse was tired and rode him over to where there was a spring flowing to allow him to rest and get a drink. Endymion affectionately patted the horses neck and leaned down to cup some water in his hand, splashing it to his face. Suddenly, a sound caught his attention.   
  
"Did you hear that, Storm?" Endymion asked his horse, looking around. He tied the horses reigns to a tree branch and began to walk where his ears lead him. It wasn't long until he came to clearing where he saw a young woman sitting on the ground with long, golden blonde hair flowing all around her, her hands to her face. She looked around 15 or 16.   
  
"Miss, are you alright?" Endymion asked. He felt stupid asking it because she wouldn't be crying if everything was fine. But it was still courteous to ask her. Endymion approached her and he could see her clothing. It was torn and covered in dirt, as were her arms and legs. "Miss, do you need help?" Endymion asked, kneeling down next to her.   
  
"It's all gone." She whispered. She pulled her hands away from her face and Endymion could see the beauty of her face. Her features were soft and she had gray eyes, tear streaks showing the soft ivory skin under the dirt.   
  
"What's gone?" Endymion asked.   
  
"Everything. My home and village is gone! I'll never see my sisters again!" The girl cried, new tears falling down her face.   
  
"Are you lost?" Endymion asked, slightly confused. She looked at him, her sad expression breaking his heart. He didn't even know this girls name and already he felt a tremendous amount of sadness for her.   
  
"In a sense, yes. I can never go home again. My people and sisters will are forget me! I will never get to see them again. Oh, why did I have to be banished?" She asked herself, looking up as if asking the sky.   
  
"Why were you banished?" Endymion asked, trying to get some information from her. From what he had gathered, she was very close with her sisters and her home.   
  
"I basically killed half of my people, three of my sisters, and my father. Although it wasn't with my own hands, it feels as though it was!" She looked down at her hands and clenched them tightly, her knuckles white through the dirt. "Mother was right to be ashamed of me. How could I not have seen it coming? How could I not have seen her evil?" She whispered.   
  
"I'm not sure if I should trust you, but I'm going to take you back to my palace anyways. You to get clean and rest." Endymion suggested.   
  
"I would rather just lie here and die, thank you." The girl said, lying down on the ground as she continued to cry. Endymion frowned.   
  
"Please come with me. After you are clean and rest, I bet you'll feel better." Endymion said.   
  
"I can never feel better. I've done a terrible thing." She whispered. "I just wish I could forget what happened."   
  
"Please come." Endymion insisted. She turned and looked at him. The sincerity in his eyes made her agree, following him over to where his horse was.   
  
"Wow. What is this?" She asked, placing her hands on Storm's back.   
  
"You've never seen a horse before?" He asked. She shook her head, running her hand over the horses body. "Wow. I've never meet someone who has never seen a horse. Where are you from?" Endymion asked as he untied the horses reigns.   
  
"A sacred village. We don't have any of these around there. The only animals we have are small ones." She said. "What is this ones purpose?"   
  
"You ride him. He's a mean for transportation." Endymion said. Her eyes sparkled with interest and he laughed. "What is your name, anyways?"   
  
"Huh?" She asked, turning to him. "Oh, my name. Well, as of now, I don't have one. When I was banished, Mother said that I didn't have the right to carry her name so I guess I'll have to find one myself." She said.   
  
"Well, in any case, my name is Endymion and my horses name is Storm." Endymion said.   
  
"Those are nice names." She said to him. "You have rabbits around here!" She said happily, pointing to a bush where a white bunny was coming from.   
  
"Yes." He replied simply. He watched as she approached it in a normal pace, not at all cautiously. "You shouldn't touch it. It could bite you." Endymion warned her.   
  
"That's silly." She said, kneeling down and petting the young rabbit. It allowed her to pick it up and nuzzled her hand. She giggled at it and hugged it. Endymion watched her with an amazement as she played with the bunny, smiling.   
  
"I think I've thought of a good name for you." Endymion said.   
  
"What?" She replied, looking at him with an interest.   
  
"Bunny." Came his reply. She smiled brightly.   
  
"I like it."   
  
-end of chapter!   
  
Please tell me what you thought! I'm going to try to get the next chapter out REALLY soon! Thank you for reading! 


	2. Fading Memories

Chapter 2: Fading memories

Thank you all for the reviews!!! I love you all!! Please enjoy!!!

"This is really high up!" Bunny cried as Endymion lifted her onto the horse.

"He is tall, isn't he?" Endymion beamed in pride at his horse. Then, in one swift movement, he was seated in front of her. "Now, put your arms around my waist." Endymion instructed. Bunny complied and fastened her arms around him. He lightly kicked his horse and off they went.

"He's really fast!" Bunny commented.

"Storm is the best horse in the whole kingdom. He's been breed since birth to be the strongest horse so that he can serve me. After all, the Crown Prince of Earth must have the best!" Endymion commented. Bunny gaped at him.

"You're the Crown Prince of Earth?" Bunny asked in amazement.

"Yes." Came Endymion's simple reply.

"Oh my." Bunny whispered. Endymion chuckled.

"It's not big deal. I don't want you using titles around me, either. I hate them. Just call me Endymion. After all, I can't have my own little sister calling me such things." Endymion told her.

"Little sister?" Bunny repeated, her head slightly to the side.

"Well, I'm going to be taking care of you now, sort of like a big brother. So that makes you my little sister." Endymion told her.

"I've never had a brother before. Only sisters." Bunny said.

"How old are you, Bunny?" Endymion asked.

"I'll be fifteen in a week, if you have those around here. Why?" Bunny replied.

"I didn't think you were that much younger then I. I'm nineteen." Endymion said. He shrugged. "But that means that you'll have at least a year to be taught to act like a princess."

"Why would I want to do that?"

"Well, since you're going to be living with us and since I won't stand for you being a servant, you should be taught to act like a proper princess before you're 16. By then you'll be able to attend all of the proper balls to show you off to suitors. I'll have you married off to the best man ever and you'll have the best life." Endymion said.

"Really? Will you do all of that for me?" Bunny asked, excited.

"Of course. You're my little sister, after all." He said with a grin. She smiled and enjoyed the rest of the ride to wherever he was taking her. To her surprise, they came to a group of four men.

"Endymion! Where have you been?" Kunzite spat as soon as he saw his prince. Endymion got off Storm and easily lifted Bunny off, setting her on the ground next to him.

"No where." Came his simple reply.

"Who is this girl?" Zoicite asked, looking at Bunny.

"My sister." Endymion said.

"Endymion, you're an only child and have been for years. Now who is she?" Nephrite asked.

"She's abandoned so I've decided to adopt her as my sister. She'll be fifteen in a week." Endymion replied with the information she had given him earlier.

"Abandoned? Only babies and small children get abandoned. She's practically a woman. Who abandoned her? Her husband or family?" Kunzite asked, eyeing her.

"Husband? I'm much too young for that!" Bunny said, extremely surprised that they would think she was old enough to be married. "My oldest sister, who's 23, isn't even married yet!"

"She must be from far away then. Peasants at her age should be at least engaged. Only royalty doesn't even start showing off suitors until they're 16." Kunzite said.

"Where are you from, ma'am?" Jaedite asked politely, giving her a charming smile that comforted her.

"My kingdom is sacred and unknown to most. And to answer your earlier question, my family abandoned me, if you could call it that. But I did nothing to deserve it." Bunny defended for herself.

"Is it wise to bring her to your parents, Endymion? Unless she's ready to play 50 questions, then she shouldn't dare approach them. They'll ask her every detail about her 'sacred kingdom'." Nephrite said, Zoicite nodding.

"They won't ask her any questions if I don't let them. Besides, Mother will love to have her around. You know how bad she yearns for a daughter. Bunny can be her daughter that she can primp and prime and such like she's been trying to do for me for years." Endymion replied.

"Is that her name? Bunny?" Jaedite smiled at the name. "It's very cute."

"It's not my real name but I like it more. Endymion thinks it suits me." She looked up at him with a smile. That's when he noticed something different about her.

"Have your eyes always been that color?" Endymion asked.

"What color?" Bunny replied.

"They're not so gray anymore. They're almost blue, actually." Endymion said. She smiled.

"That's wonderful!" She squealed.

"Listen, we better return soon. You weren't supposed to be gone for as long as you are." Kunzite said, getting onto his horse. The other three followed and Endymion lifted Bunny right back onto Storm's back, getting on it himself right after. They rode off and arrived at the large castle at near dark.

"Endymion! I was so worried about you! You were gone for so long!" Queen Gaia cried, running towards them when they arrived. Her beauty was incredible for a mother of a nineteen year old prince. Her hair to her waist, soft and brown, her eyes a brilliant shade of green, and her body slim and young. She showed hardly any signs of being a mother, although there were some very slight wrinkles on her face that could only be seen if you looked hard enough.

"I'm sorry Mother." Endymion got off Storm and kissed his mothers cheek. The generals got off their horses, Jadeite helping Bunny of Storm. A few stable hands came forward and took the horses away. Bunny stood amongst the men, looking at her surroundings.

"Who is this?" Gaia asked, the men parting. Gaia approached her and Bunny looked at her, hardly afraid. She had encountered many royal people in her life and wasn't at all intimidated. And besides, she had Endymion to protect her like he told his generals.

"Her name is Bunny, Mother. She has no home so we will be taking her in now." Endymion said, coming up from behind her.

"She's absolutely filthy." Gaia remarked.

"I was being held prisoner, your Grace." Bunny replied. Endymion looked at her but no question came from his lips.

"What was your crime?" Gaia asked.

"I was completely innocent. Blood was spilled but not on my account." Bunny replied.

"Oh?" Gaia looked at her with interest.

"I was blamed for leading evil into my kingdom." Bunny said.

"What kingdom is this?" Gaia asked. Bunny was about to answer but suddenly found herself unable to do so. Instead, she fainted, falling onto Gaia, who struggled to keep her balance. Endymion quickly came around from behind his mother and took Bunny into his arms bridal style. "Oh my, what happened to her?"

"I'm not sure. We should take her inside." Endymion said. He took her inside the castle and up to an empty room that was used for guests, lying her on the soft bed. He sat there for hours, worried over the younger girl. But his worry didn't go without company. His mother sat with him, watching the girl as well. When he father found out, he joined them as well. When Bunny finally did wake the next evening, she was surprised to see so many people standing around the room.

"What happened to me?" She asked, rising.

"You fainted, dear." Gaia said kindly. Bunny looked at the queen and her son, who were sitting on the bed. Across from her stood another man whom she had never seen before. He face was handsome and serious, his eyes a deep blue and his hair a dark blue, just like Endymion. Endymion followed her gaze.

"This is my father, King Terran." Endymion said. Bunny nodded her head to him and he did it in return.

"Are you feeling well?" Terran asked.

"I'm not sure. Something seems like something is missing," Bunny said, turning her head to the window next to her, "although I'm unsure what."

"That's weird." Endymion said. She turned to him and sighed.

"Maybe we should contact your parents. Endymion told us what happened but I'm sure that someone in your family must still care about you. He mentioned that you have sisters. What are their names?" Gaia asked. Bunny looked at her.

"Sisters?" Bunny said. "I can't remember having any sisters. In fact, I can't remember having parents. I don't even have a memory of anyone before Endymion found me."

"That's odd. You can't remember anything?" Terran asked.

"Not at all." Bunny told him.

"In that case, we must take her in! If she can't even remember the names of her family members, she couldn't possibly survive out in the world." Gaia said, turning to her husband.

"Gaia, she can't replace our lost daughter." Terran said with pity in his eyes.

"I'm not trying to replace her, Terran. I'm trying to give this girl a good chance in life. She'll remain in mine and Endymion's full care if you think she might be a burden. Besides, Endymion already expressed to us how attached he's become to her, and I feel that I have as well. Please Terran." Gaia pleaded. Terran sighed and nodded. She got up and hugged him in thanks.

"Well, I suppose she'll need a better room then this one if she's going to be nobility." Endymion said.

"But this one is fine!" Bunny said.

"Nonsense! This isn't a fitful room for you." Gaia said. Before she knew it, Bunny was shoved into a beautiful room. Gaia took her into her own and picked her out a bunch of gowns that she used to own as a young girl to put in Bunny's wardrobe. They were all beautiful and seemed hardly worn.

"Thank you so much, your Grace. I'm in your eternal debt for what you are doing for me." Bunny said as she and Gaia sat in her room, Gaia putting the dresses in the wardrobe.

"Please Bunny, call me Gaia. And you haven't got a reason to be in debt to me. I feel that I should be in debt to you." Gaia said.

"How so?" Bunny asked.

"I lost a daughter of my own several years ago just when she was born. Ever since then I've wanted another one to love just as much as I would have loved her. I do love Endymion dearly but every woman can't help but want a daughter to just be a woman with." Gaia turned and looked at the young girl sitting on her new, large bed. "I thought it was so strange that Endymion was drawn to you to quickly but somehow, I find that I am as well. Something about you makes me so very fond of you." She gave her a gentle smile.

"Thank you." Bunny replied.

"Well, you best take a bath before coming down to dinner, dear. I'll lay a dress out for you on your bed." Gaia said. Bunny nodded and some servants drew her a bath, Bunny scrubbing all of the dirt from her.

"Where is that dress at?" Bunny asked herself, coming out of the washing room with a towel around her body. She quickly located the dress on her bed. It was beautiful but simple. It was light blue with long sleeves, a scooped neck, and high waist. She braided her wet, long hair and put some slippers on.

"My, you look lovely." Gaia commented when Bunny entered the Great Hall. She blushed as she sat down across from Endymion.

"Thank you." Came her meek reply.

"What did I tell you, Bunny? Only the best for you." Endymion said with a grin. His generals were all around the table and nodded in approval.

While they ate, Bunny was completely fascinated by the conversations passed between everyone. She found everyone so interesting, although the look on Endymion's face told her thought otherwise. At this she smiled.

"It's getting late. We're going to retire." Gaia announced. Terran got up and pulled out her chair, the two walking over to their son and bidding him and the others a good night before leaving.

"Sleep? Already?" Bunny said aloud. The men laughed.

"I suppose she has had a lot of sleep as of late." Zoicite commented, smiling at the younger girl.

"It won't do us much harm to spend some time with her tonight. After all, we should get her acquainted to her new home." Nephrite added. Endymion offered her his arm and she accepted it with a slight blush. Jaedite and Zoicite stood next to Bunny while Kunzite and Nephrite stood next to Endymion.

For nearly two hours they showed her around the castle and grounds, Bunny completely in love with the moonlit garden. She sat there for around fifteen minutes gushing over the beauty of the flowers, although most were closed because of the lack of sunlight. But when she finally did grow tired, the men happily escorted her to her bedroom and left her to get some rest, claiming that she needed to be on a normal sleeping schedule and not ever going to bed too late or sleeping in.

-End of chapter!!!

I hope you all liked it! I'm going to keep on writing for a while because I have so many ideas!!! So I think I might be getting this next chapter out soon! And incase you didn't catch it, when Bunny fainted she forgot everything that happened to her before she meet Endymion. So, like her family, her memory was erased. Get it? I hope you do! Please review!!!!!

-Serenity


	3. Beginning of the lessons

Chapter 3: Beginning of the lessons

Thank you all for the reviews! This chapter will be pretty long and the next one will lead into it, but it won't be a cliff hanger really. Anyways, enjoy!

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

"Lady Bunny, you must wake up now." A girl said, approaching Bunny as she slept. Bunny opened her eyes and looked at the girl. Her hair was short and wavy, a soft red color, her eyes brown. She looked not a day older then Bunny herself. The dress she wore was a brown color and showed her ankles, brown worn shoes on her feet. There was a dirty apron over the skirt of her dress. The dress was in a fine shape, save for the torn bottom.

"Is it really time to wake up already?" Bunny asked.

"Her Grace and His Highness have requested that you awake to start your lessons." The girl replied.

"Who?" Bunny asked, still very tired and not yet up from her bed.

"Why, Queen Gaia and Prince Endymion, of course." She said as if it were the most obvious thing ever.

"What lessons are they requesting I take?" Bunny asked.

"I suppose they're going to be on manners and important times in our history so that you're more suitable for the suitors that you will be presented with in the future. But of course you're expected to be at breakfast this morning." The girl left Bunny's bed side and opened the wardrobe, looking through the dresses. She pulled out one and held it out. "Do you approve of this one?" She asked.

"It is very lovely." Bunny replied, looking at it. The color of it was a lovely light pink, which happened to be one of Bunny's favorite color. "Excuse me, but what is your name?" Bunny asked. The girl blushed.

"I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier! My name is Naru. I'll be your servant until the day you leave here." She said with a curtsy.

"Nice to meet you, Naru." Bunny said. She felt very weird about having this young girl who seemed no younger then herself being her servant, but she knew right away that she wouldn't be able to argue that with Endymion or Gaia.

"Well, if you need anything further, don't hesitate to ask for me. I'll most likely be near by." And with that the young servant girl Naru left Bunny alone.

Bunny got dressed and then did her hair absentmindedly. When she looked into the mirror, she looked at her hair style with interest. It consisted of two buns on top of her head with the rest of her long hair pooling down on the ground. And all the while as she was looking at it, she couldn't figure out how in the world she did it. She shrugged it off and walked out of the room and down the large staircase, going into the Great Hall.

"Good morning, Bunny. I trust that you slept well?" Terran greeted.

"I did, thank you. Yourself?" Bunny replied.

"Well." Terran replied. Bunny took her seat once more across from Endymion, right next to Gaia.

"That color is lovely on you, dear." Gaia commented. "And your hair is so odd and unique. I daresay that I've never seen anything so different before."

"I don't know how I did it, but I did. It seemed to come naturally." Bunny replied with a slight blush at getting complimented. When she felt her face cool she began to eat delicately.

"Hmm, you were right, Terran. She doesn't need much improvement in those areas." Gaia said to her husband, looking at Bunny.

"I noticed it the night before." Terran added with confidence.

"I knew that she didn't need much improvement in all of the areas myself at first glance, although there isn't any harm in teaching her things I'm yet to see her do." Endymion said, making Bunny feel tremendously left out. They were all talking about her, which she knew, but she wasn't sure exactly what the nature of their conversation was.

"I think there isn't much we must teach her." Gaia added. Bunny looked up at them all curiously and Endymion smiled a charming smile at her.

"I suppose we're being rather rude for not telling you the nature of our conversation." Endymion said. Bunny looked at him with surprise. It was as if he had read her mind!

"We were only discussing what we must teach you, dear. Yet so far your have proven that manners is nothing you need improvement on and your posture is remarkable for a woman at your age." Gaia said kindly.

"Thank you very much." Bunny said, her cheeks heating up once more.

"Well, come on now, dear. We have to start your lessons." Gaia insisted.

"Will I get to see Endymion again soon?" Bunny asked while rising. Endymion gave her a charming smile.

"Of course, Bunny. Maybe I can teach you to ride a horse." Endymion suggested. Bunny looked at him hopefully.

"Then I better be there. You would teach her to side the manly way instead of side-saddle, which is not the way a lady rides. It would be terrible if she learned to ride that way!" Gaia said. Endymion nodded and the two women left the room.

"Queen Gaia." Bunny started. Gaia cut her off.

"Just call me Gaia, sweetheart. I thought we went over that yesterday." Gaia said with a loving smile at her new 'daughter'.

"Gaia, why are you being so nice to me?" Bunny asked, blushing slightly after her words. She didn't realize how rude and ungrateful they sounded when she said them with her tongue, although they seemed completely innocent in her mind.

To Bunny's surprise, Gaia laughed. "As I've said before, I'm quite fond of you. Besides, what kind of a woman would I be if I left a sweet you girl like yourself on her own? There are a million things that would happen to someone with your looks. I will never refuse anyone who needs my help." Gaia declared.

"You're a wonderful woman then, Gaia. Most queens would turn away peasants." Bunny said.

"You are not a peasant, Bunny. There is something inside of you that presents a large amount of nobility in you. Perhaps even royalty." Gaia lifted Bunny's chin, studying the young face of the girl. She smiled.

"I wish I remembered who I was." Bunny said in a distant tone. Gaia dropped her hand slowly and began to walk, Bunny right in stride with her.

"It could be a blessing that you are unaware of who you are. You're granted the chance to start all over again, unless someone who you once knew comes looking for you." Gaia said.

"No one will look for me. They don't ever want me home." Bunny replied sadly.

"Oh?" Gaia asked.

"I can't remember much from where I came from, but I do remember that before I felt, I had a terrible feeling of banishment surrounding me." Bunny said.

"Do you remember anything else?" Gaia asked, hoping to spark a memory in the young girl. She figured that it must be hard not to remember who she was at all.

"I remember a lot of faces. All are women, except for one adult male. I can't pull at my memory enough to remember the features of their faces, but I know their genders." Bunny replied.

"Well dear, how about I take you into the gardens and we can start your lessons officially?" Gaia asked. Bunny nodded happily, as if the moment before never happened.

It was a good few hours until Endymion came looking for the two to teach Bunny to ride. Although it took him a long time, he was finally told that the two were in the gardens. So, he followed the long white-stone path all around, finally locating them in the rose garden.

"Hello darling." Gaia greeted her son with a warming smile. "Roses are Endymion's favorite flower, Bunny. These are all his." Gaia told her young 'student'.

"I've never seen roses before. We didn't have them where I came from." Bunny said, looking around at the beautiful multicolor of the new flowers to her eyes, still amazed with them after their long lessons.

"I find them to be very beautiful, but misleading. I suppose my mother didn't let you touch them, did she?" Endymion asked. Bunny shook her head. "That's because they have thorns." Endymion told her.

"Thorns?" Bunny asked, looking from Gaia to Endymion in mystery. She had never heard such a word before. It was as new to her as 'rose'.

"I'll show you." Endymion said. Bunny got up from the little bench and went over to Endymion. He took her smaller hand and let her fingers graze over the velvet of two red and pink roses.

"It's so soft. Almost like velvet." Bunny marveled, a childish smile on her face.

'So are your hands.' Endymion found himself suddenly thinking. Mentally, he slapped himself. 'Don't think like that! It's wrong!' He scolded himself.

"Are these the thorns that you spoke of? Why couldn't I touch them?" Bunny asked.

"Surely you've seen enough flowers to know that these are petals." Gaia insisted. Bunny turned to her and shrugged.

"I've seen a million flowers, but never any like this. And since Endymion said that they have thorns, and I've never seen a rose before, I am a bit unsure. After all, I've never felt anything so soft." Bunny replied.

"Bunny, I'll show you the thorns, but I ask that you don't touch them." Endymion said. Bunny nodded and Endymion gently pulled her hand away. He reached out for the red rose and pushed the petals up so that Bunny could see the dark pricks coming out of the stem. But since Bunny was so curious about the new flower, she reached her hand forward to touch a thorn.

"Ouch!" She cried out, pulling her hand back and squeezing her offended finger.

"Let me see it." Endymion said, reaching a hand forward.

"No! It hurts!" Bunny replied, trying to hold back her threatening tears.

"Let him see it, dear. Endymion's been pricked lots of times." Gaia said, standing behind Bunny. Bunny nodded and held her finger out, pouting all the while.

"It's not bad at all, Bunny. It's very small. I bet that it will stop bleeding in no time." Endymion said with a slight smile.

"But what do I do until then?" Bunny asked, looking between the two royals.

"Don't worry, I can fix it." Endymion said. He tore off some of his tunic, much to Gaia's dismay, and fashioned it around Bunny's bleeding finger.

"That was a good tunic, Endymion." Gaia said, glaring lightly at her son.

"Oh Mother, it can be mended." Endymion replied. He then turned to Bunny. "Ready to learn to ride a horse?" He asked.

"Do horses have thorns?" Bunny asked. Gaia and Endymion laughed.

"Of course not! You loved riding my horse." Endymion replied, amused with the younger girl.

"As long as it won't hurt me like the thorns." Bunny answered.

"Well, I think I should be getting back to the palace. Who knows what you're father is doing." Gaia decided, turning to leave. Before she was out of earshot, she shouted out, "Don't forget, Endymion! Sidesaddle!"

"I promise!" Endymion shouted back. "Well, are you ready to go out to the stables?" Endymion asked.

"Yes." Bunny replied with a smile.

End Chapter!

The next one will pick up with Bunny's riding lesson and maybe a bit more. I'm not sure yet. But I decided to end it there because otherwise it would be like a million pages long and you'd all be mad at me for making you waste an hour reading. Anyways, please review! I'll love you forever if you do! I'm going to start replying to reviews in my next chapter.

Serenity


End file.
